I’ve been eagerly awaiting George Mann’s The Eye of Darkness, and the latest Star Wars novel set in The High Republic Era did not disappoint.

Set a few hundred years prior to the Skywalker Saga, the era is highlighted by the war between the Republic and Jedi facing the pirate marauders known as the Nihil and their Force eating beasts The Nameless.

The Eye of Darkness is the first adult novel of Phase III and has kicked things off with a bang. The Republic is still reeling from the fall of Starlight Beacon, and the Jedi have issued a recall notice for the entire order to return to Coruscant, pulling the Jedi from all of their temples spread through the galaxy.

Well … Not all of them obliged. Avar Kriss and Porter Engle, on separate missions, are among the Jedi who get caught behind the Nihil’s Stormwall with no way out. Marchion Ro has his pirates plundering and ruling an entire sector of space while searching for the two games Jedi. Meanwhile, Elzar Mann frantically searches for a way to break through the Stormwall, desperate to reunite with Azar and exact some revenge justice against the Nihil.

An interesting development in the story is the crack being formed in the Nihil over their future.

Thanks to the impenetrable Stormwall, they now have many planets under their thumb to do with as they please. Marchion, however, has no real interest in governing. As former Republic Senator turned Nihil collaborator Ghirra Starros reaches out to Chancellor Lina Soh to negotiate the Nihil’s path into becoming a part/partners with the Republic, Marchion repeatedly tells her that holds no interest for him. The Eye of the Nihil is interested in conquering and ruling, not leading a government. By the end of the novel, we learn that some in the group actually do agree with Starros and can see an endpoint to all the violence.

Starros has emerged from her small, albeit influential, role throughout Phase I with a renewed sense of determination to make her “sacrifice” of turning on the Republic mean something. Will she try to usurp Marchion and take power for herself? How will they work out for her in the end?

Chancellor Soh is faced with the unenviable task of figuring out the future for the Republic. Is war or diplomacy the best path forward when dealing with a group like the Nihil who have seized power and planets by deadly force? Having been a victim of their attack on the Republic Fair where she became an amputee, is she able to fairly judge the new galactic power?

The Jedi Order, coming to grips with the fact that the Nihil have a creature that can essentially weaponize the Force against them using fear, are in panic mode. Yoda is trying to solve their problem with the Nameless, while other members of the Council are using patience and no rash decisions in taking the battle to the Nihil.

Speaking of Rash decisions, Elzar and Avar are trying to break through the Stormwall on opposite sides to get back to each other. Both continue to deal with the alternating rising hope and dread of their decisions, as the shared guilt of their failure in losing their friend Stellan Gios in the destruction of Starlight Beacon weighs heavy. But, hope remains. Hope that they will see each other again, to fight side by side in the battle with the Nihil, and save the galaxy flows through the Force, if they can open themselves up to it.

Through Phase I of the High Republic, it was easy to see similarities in the plans of the Sith (who are in hiding at this time) and the Nihil: controlled chaos. However, the big difference so far, is that the Sith endgame of controlled chaos leading to defeating the Jedi and ruling the galaxy had the destination point. Marchion Ro’s controlled chaos wants to defeat the Jedi and the Republic, but then what? He has shown that he has no interest in leading, only destroying. How long will those under his thrall continue to follow before asking more serious questions… At the end of a blaster?

This is the first adult novel that I’ve read from George Mann. I have read and enjoyed some of his previous forays into Star Wars, and this has provided me with the incentive to check some of his non-Star Wars stuff. I enjoyed his recent interviews with Star Wars Explained talking about this book and the process that went into writing it. (Non-spoilers and spoilers)

If you’re into the High Republic, I obviously highly recommend this one; however, I’m not sure how this one would work if it was your first venture. (Go read Light of the Jedi!) Still, I think George knocked it out of the park with this one, and you should check it out.